We are in a world recession - is this really the time to listen to the media about 'boring' Brown?

[Monkeytrousers]

Boring is good, isn't it. Maybe not for the media, but definelty for us. Isn't the media agenda for 'dynamic' news worthy politics contry top our national interest at this time? Have they been a bit spoilt by the drama of the Blair prime ministership?

Is is really the time to hand over power top the Tories who have an ideological interest in preserving the privledges of the rich - especially at this time?

but why should/would that make them a worse politician? I don't think there's a connection.

yes I think there's quite a lot of truth in that aitch.

Gawd, the lib dems are utter shite though aren't they. You know when I really thought they were utterly mutterly shite? was when they backed D Davis and wouldn't stand against him. Thought that was poor tbh.

but i do also think that's why he should have called an election. his is a man of principale stance, you can't get shooed in as PM and maintain that. should've gone immediately. that's why i worry about his dithering. should've been more gutsy about that, for himself.

I didn't say "only if". I said "especially if".

I think people generally don't realise what MPs do with their time and what they spend a huge amount of time doing is dealing with constituents. Obviously this is sharpened if you are in a working class constituency.

I have a very middle class background myself but it wasn't until I spent time in Bermondsey working for the MP and spent all day every day on the phone to desperate constituents that I had the slightest idea what people's lives were like.

And none of those people we dealt with are on MN by the way...These are people who are struggling with absolutely every aspect of life.

I think his dithering is what killed him. All this backing down (not only the election but other statutes that they've faced). The election that never was made him look like he was running scared. I think his advisors were absolutely piss poor in that instance. My goodness, what a horrendous start and one that, imo, he never recovered from.

Whenever I look at Gordon Brown, I can almost smell the knob cheese.

He's about as sexy as a flying lizard.

agree Aitch. I think that was the beginning of the end.

As Chancellor he had exceptional luck

As PM he has no such thing

He was not great then, he is not great now... and because he has no luck on his side all of his cracks are showing (so to speak)

see... i rather respect people when they say 'okay, we were wrong,we'll do the thing that the country is crying out for'. but that's not a great story. a great story is 'humiliating turnaround'.

by the way... principle.

yes dh and I chatted about this. You can either be 'responding to the public' (by backing down, like over the fuel duty increase e.g.) or you can be 'running scared and doing a u-turn'. Thing is, if you are looking unconfident, it comes across as a u-turn!

(was it me who spelt principle wrong? I am a crap speller!)

He was lucky for a long time. Lucky guy. Ten years of economic boom. Lucky.

mm it really was luck - the guy did not manufacture any boom himself. House prices were rising before he arrived and this then inflated confidence amongst joe public. He did not save money when he should have done, he sold stocks when they were at their lowest level for years etc

he really was not an amazing Chancellor - just lucky with timing

no, me. i dithered fatally and then corrected it badly.

Ahh, I've enjoyed this conversation. I like the cut of you ladies' gib

In a hundred years time, when geeks of political persuasion will be asked to name British PMs in order of succession, they will always falter over Mr Brown.

Vive la Revolution!

OK, I really want to know who fox's DH is now. Is her RL name a clue?

I also really want to know what M&J does for a living. (Although if you used to work for Simon Hughes then I might know some people you know.)

I realise I'm not even supposed to ask these questions.

Anyway I really agree with fox that the real problem is the race to the centre. Everything in British politics is decided on the basis of whether three voters in a swing state in the Midlands will wet their knickers over it. It's democracy, but only just.

Oh, and KayHarker is one of those swing voters. So we're really in trouble.

was it the dirndl?

first person to get dr who campaigning on their behalf wins it then.

Oh you'd be most welcome Aitch, but we are a little southern for you, I'm guessing. Unless you're prepared to travel five hundred miles for a watered-down pint.

oh you must come darn south aitch. We shall reserve you a spot in the corner of the pub. An honorary spot.

don't forget overpriced watered down pint policy

next time i'm in the smoke, i'd love to. seriously.